Fruits and diabetes

I want to know if the consumption of fruits in excessive amounts can lead to diabetes in a person who did not previously have diabetes.

Emeka (by SMS)

Fruits consist of natural sugars but at the same time, they are full of fiber, water, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Fiber decreases sugar absorption rate and makes fruit different from any juices and sweets.

For the majority of individuals, eating moderate amount of fruit promotes their well-being and doesn’t lead to diabetes. But being “healthy” doesn’t mean that you can consume unlimited amount of anything.

When a patient with prediabetes eats large servings of fruits with high sugar content all the day long without paying attention to portion sizes and carbs consumed in general, his/her glucose level may definitely raise.

So it’s not only fruit but the overall diet that matters. Regular exercises, proper weight and enough sleep as well as balanced meals are much more effective in preventing diabetes than avoiding fruits.

So if you’re a prediabetic patient, feel free to eat whole fruits in proper amounts and combine them with protein or fats if needed. Observe how your body reacts to these products. In medicine, the success usually appears not in exclusion of healthy foods but in consistent moderate consumption.